Composite luminescent tube circuit



c. M. H. NELSON C'MPOSITE LUMINESCENT TUBE CIRCUIT June 12., 1933.

2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed Deo. l5, 1931 NvENTOP CHARLES M. H. NELSON BY /O ATLroRNf-:Y

June 13, 1933.l

C. M. H. NELSON COMPOSITE LUMINESCENT TUBE CIRCUIT Filed DeC. l5, 1951 2 SheetS-Shet 2 INVENTOR CHARLES MHNELSON BY/ ATTORNEY Patented June 13, 1933 PATENT OFFICE CHARLES M. H. NELSON, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA COMPOSITE LUMINESCENT TUBE CIRCUIT.

pplication led December 15, 1931. Serial No. 581,171.

This invention has to do in a general way with illuminated signs such as are used on marquees, store fronts, sign boards and the like, and is more particularly related to signs ofthis nature which employ the so-called neon or gas-filled luminescent tubular indicia or characters. It is a primary object of this invention to produce a sign of this character which is of simple form and construction in which the individual letter or indicia units can lbe independently removed and changed y so as to produce a sign having any desired characteristic or reading matter thereon.

I am' aware of the fact that attempts have been made to produce signs of the general character referred t'o above wherein the sign proper is made of individual letter units, the letter in each unit comprising a neon tube. So far as I am aware, however, signs of this character comprise a backing plate which is associated with a box of considerable depth and the box for each backing plate contains a transformer connected to the electrodes of the letter which extend through the backing plate. It will be seen that in signs of this character' there must be as many transformers as there are letters, making the sign very heavy and very expensive. Furthermore, the depth of the box which contains the trans- 'former and the extending ends of the electrede makes the individual units very bulky so that these units are diicul't to remove and install. Signs of this character have not therefore come into general use. Furthermore, the electrodes extending through the backing plates are liable to breakage, and, if broken, this peculiar construction makes the replacement of the electrodes or the placement of new letters on the signs extremely difficult.

It is, therefore, one object of this invention to produce a sign of the class described wherein a single transformer will supply the high frequency and high potential electrical energy for a whole series of individual units.

This feature of the invention reduces the weight of the sign to a very great extent; it also reduceu the bulk of the individual units and facilitates their handling so that they 5 may be easily and quickly changed by one person. With a further view to facilitating the installation and removal of the units, I have devised a novel form of connection whereby the conducting portions or conductors in the individual unitsmay be easily and quickly interconnected. v

y It isa further object of this invention to eliminate the breakage ofthe individual electrodes and to facilitate the construction of the signs by providing a novel means for connecting the tubular indicia or letter units to the backing plateitself. l

It is a further object of this invention to produce a sign of the class describedwhich is substantially weatheryproof and the ar-v rangement of the conducting elements in the various units is lsuch as to prevent the loss of current due to arcing over and corona effects ordinarily present where currents of high frequency and highpotential are employed.l y

The general construction of the sign contemplated by this invention comprises a frame which may be formed on amarquee, a store front or a sign board and such frame is provided with means for supporting a plurality of individual plate 'units Each of these plate units is provided with a letter or other suitable character preferably formed from a glass tube and provided with an electrode in its end portions. Thel tube is filled with a suitable gas under the proper pressure conditions to permit its illumination when the electrodes are subject to a current of high frequency and high potential. The backs of these individual plates or supports are provided with conducting clips, two of which are oppositely disposed and arranged in parallel relation and are connected to the two electrodes of the letter by means of a suitable conductor. In addition to these two clips the back of each individual plate is provided with a bus-bar which has its end portions connected to similar clips, the busbars and the s aced clips on all of the individual unitsbeing arranged so that they fall in alignment when the units are placed in the supporting frame. The clips and the bus-bars with their associated clips are interconnected by means of connecting me1nbers which extend through suitable spaces either provided inv or formed behind the plate members. The end 'electrodes of one end unit of the series are interconnected so that all of the letters are connected in series and the end electrodes at the other end of the series are connected to a source of high potential and high frequency electrical energy. In order that the clips and their associated bus-bars and connecting members may be insulated from each other, I prefer to form the supporting plates of a dielectric or non-conducting material such as glass or bakelite and to facilitate the construction of the unit I propose to form these units of two such plates which are secured with their faces in'substantial engagement.

The details in the construction of la preferred form of my invention, together with other objects attending its production, will be best understood from the following description of the accompanying drawings which are chosen for illustrative purposes onl and in whichl ig. 1 is an elevational view showing a portion of the front surface of a .marquee equipped with a preferred embodlment of myinvention;

ig. 2 is an elevational view showing the back of the sign portion shown in Fig. 1 with one set of plates which go to make up the individual supporting units removed so as to show the conducting clip and bus-bar connections Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation which may be considered as having been taken in a l plane represented by the line 3-3 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an invertedplan section taken in a plane represented by the line 4-4 1n Fi 1 Fig is an enlarged sectional view taken through the bus-bar and clip connection between two adjacent plates in a preferred form of my invention;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken in a plane vre vresented by the line 6-6 in Fig. 5;

ig. 7 is a sectional view illustrating the details in the construction of a preferred form of electrode support;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 7, illustrating a modified form of electrode ort. ore particularly describing the invention as herein illustrated, reference numeral 11 indicates what I may term a frame having a top member 12, a bottom member 13, and an end member 14. The frame is shown yin Fig. 3 as being of pressed metal construction and the top and bottom members 12 and 13 are interconnected by a back plate 14. Grooves or channels 15 and 16 are formed on the inner edge of the top and bottom members 12 and I 13 and these grooves are adapted to removably receive individual plate units which I have indicated by reference numerals 18, 19

and 20. The plate units 18 are shown as having plain front surfaces, the plate units 19 are shown as having letters 21 provided on their front surfaces and the plate unit 20 is shown as being provided with another form of indicia 22.

Each of the letter members 21 is formed from a glass tube of the usual type employed in the construction of so-called neon signs. The end portions of these tubes are provided with electrodes either on the top, shown at 23 in Fig. 7, or 24 in Fig. 8. The manner of mounting these characters on the various plate members will be described in detail in connection with Figs. 7 and 8. Suffice it to say at this time-that the two electrodes 25 and 25 in each character are connected to conductors 26 and 26 through which current is supplied to the electrodes.

As pointed out in the fore part of the specification, I consider it preferable for the purpose of insulating the unit and avoiding the presence of the lso-called corona e'ect or arcing over between the diderent conductors, to form the supporting plates from two plate members which are secured together with their inner faces in substantial engagement. 'Ihis construction is perhaps best illustrated in Figs. 3, 4, 5, 7 and 8 where the supporting plates are shown as being made up of two members indicated by reference numerals 30 and 30. These members are preferably composed of suitable dielectric material such as glass or some non-conducting composition such as bakelite and one or both of the members near their upper edges are provided with recesses for the reception of conducting bars or clip members indicated by reference numerals 31 and 32. It will also be observed that the adjacent edges of the plates are arranged so as to have overlapping lips indicated by reference numerals 33 and 34 and in alignment with the clips the edges of the plate members are provided with recessed portions 35 through which a connecting bar 36 extends.

The purpose of overlapping the adjacent edges of the plate members is to prevent the ingress of moisture into the recesses containing the conducting members, and as a further precaution against the conductors being shorted by moisture I provide the connecting bars 36 with a packing sleeve 37 which is preferably composed of rubber or other suitable non-conducting material.

The clip members 31 and 32 are connected through suitable conducting wires 39 and 40 with the respective electrode terminal ends of 4their associated letter or* character. In this way it will be observed from Fig.V 2 that when the clip members on adjacent sides of the adjacent plate members are connected by their respective connecting bars 36, all of the letters which make up the sign are connected in series.

Inl order to complete the circuit the clip member 32 associa-tedl with the electrode at one end of the series is connected through a suitable connecting bar 40 with a return connection 41 which is connected at its lower end to a clip member 42. This clip member 42 is connected through a connecting bar 43 with another clip member 44 which in turn is connected to a .bus-bar 45 extending clear across the lower end portion of its corresponding late member. The' opposite end of the bus-Ear 45 is provided with a. clip member 46 which in turn is connected through another connection 42 to another clip mem'` ber 44 and so on through bus-bars and `clip members to the other end of the series where a plate member provided with two parallel bus-bars 47 and 48 connected to the lower bus-bar clip 46 and the upper electrode clip 31 respectively, rovide means for connectplates. of non-conducting material so that there is no possibility of arcing over between theconductors, and, furthermore, there is nov possibility of loss of potential due to the soycalled corona effect which ordinarily surrounds exposed con'ductorswhich are coned with a conductor through the meditacting high frequency andv high potential electrical energy.

It will be seen from the construction .so

far described that the sign contemplatedv by this invention is constructed so that it is very light'in weight, the individual units may be easily and quickly replaced, the only operation `for removal being the yslight longitudinal sliding movement to disconnect the connecting bars, followed by a lifting movement to. raise the upper end of the plate lnto the channel 15'so that'the lower end of the plate may be swung outwardly over the outer lip of the channelv 16.

I It was pointedout above that. this invention also contemplates a novel type of letter orelectrode support, and in Fi s. 7 and 8 I have shown two such supports w ich are particularly adapted for use in connection with to form contact between a conductor 40 lead-- ing to a bus-bar or clip member 31 and-the conducting pin 52. Reference numeral 54 Il indicates what I have termed an elbow sleeve 'comprising' the si 'plate in any pre erred manner,r such as `by which has its inner end provided with ay flanged portion adapted` to lit over the non-y conducting or packing sleeve 51. and the bent portion of thissleeve is rovided with a sealing partition 55 throug which the conductor 26 extends. The outer end of this conductor 26 is attached to the pin 52 and the inner end of the conductor 26 is attached to the tube electrode 25. The upper end of the elbow sleeve 54 is shown as being welded at 57 to a tube 58 from which the letter or other indiciaare formed. This tube, after being connected with the electrode, is evacuated and filled with a suitable gas in the` usual manner employed in making luminescent tubularsigns of this character.

In order to render/the elbow sleeve and its associated parts substantially invisible when the tube is illuminated, this portion of the tube may b e formed from an opaque glass or may be painted in the usual manner.

The connection shown in Fig. 8 -diifers from that shown in Fig. 7 in that the elbow sleeve 54 which lits over a packing 'sleeve 51 isprovided in itsouter end with a packing ring 60. This lpacking ring slidably receives a sealed end 61 of an electrode Isleeve 62 which contains the electrode 25 and is welded to or is formed with the .indicia tube indicated by reference numeral 63. The electrode 25 conducting pin 52 which in turn is connectum of ascrew 53'.' The letters or indicia may be supported on the means of the stand clips indicated' by reference numeral 65.1y L l y It is preferable in theconstifuction of a4 sign of this nature that -the overall length of each letter or'chara'cter unit'be substantially the same,` but where the overall length of the tube comprising .such` characteris shorterA than'the other tubes, as is the vcasev in the character-22, I nd itadvisable to prov ide a resistance indicatedV by reference numeral 67 which extends between one electrode and its correslaondimgr clip member in that particular unit. 4

It will be observed from the description of the electrode support that this type of support provides a unit wherein it is unnecessary to extend the electrodes through the plates so that the 'overall width of eachletter and its associated support will be very small. Furthermore, this type of connection provides an electrode which maybe easily and Yquickly replaced if brokenV and which .will greatly reduce'fthefdafnger of breakage.

i It is to understood: thalt'while I have herein described. and illustrated certain preferred forms of ymy invention, the invention is not limitedrto the preciser construction de scribed above but includes within its scopo whatever changes fairly come within the spirit of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A sign embodying: a frame; a plurality of plates removably mounted in said frame; a tubular gas filled character -mounted on each of said plates; electrodes in said tubes; conducting means interconnecting the adjacent electrodes in the tubes on adjacent plates; and conducting means for connecting the electrodes on tubes forming the ends of a series with a source of electrical energy, said conducting means comprising busbars,zclips on the ends of said bus=bars, and connecting bars in said clips, Iall of said conducting means being imbedded in said plates when said plates are assembled in said frame.

2. A sign embodying: a frame; a plurality of plates removably mounted in said frame; a tubular gas iilled character mounted on each of said plates; electrodes in said tubes; conducting means interconnecting the adjacent electrodes in the tubes on adjacent plates; and conducting means for connecting the electrodes on tubes forming the ends of a series with a source ot' electrical energy, said plates having overlapping lips formed on the edges thereof and said conducting means comprising busbars imbedded in said plates, clips on the ends of said bus bars, connecting bars interposed between opposed clips and insulating sleeves mounted on said connecting bars.

3. For use in a sign of the class described, a plate member; a tubular gas filled letter mounted on the front of said plate member; a pair of spaced aligned clip members mounted on the back of said plate; electrodes in said tubular letter; conductors connecting each electrode with one of said clip members for connecting said electrodes and said clips into an electric circuit; and a bus-bar mounted on the back of said plate in spaced relation with said clip members for carrying a return circuit across the back of said plate.

4. For use in a sign of the class described, a plate member; a tubular gas filled letter mounted on the front of said plate member; a pair of spaced aligned clip members mounted on the back of said plate; electrodes in said tubular letter; conductors connecting each electrode with one of said cli'p members for connecting said electrodes and said clips into an electric circuit; a bus-bar mounted .on the back of said plate in spaced relation with said clip members for carrying a return circuit across the back of said plate; and clips on the ends of said-bus-bar.

5. For use in asign of the class described, a plate member; atubular gas filled letter mounted on the front of said plate member; a pair of spaced aligned clip members imbedded in said plate; electrodes in said tubular letter; conductors connecting said electrodes with said clip members for connecting said electrodes and said clips into an electric circuit; and a bus-bar imbedded in said late in sp-aced relation with said clip mem ers, for carrying a return circuit across said plate.

6. For use in a sign of the class described, a letter unit embodying: a support comprising two insulatin plates secured together with their inner acesin substantial engagement; a tubular gas filled letter mounted on the front of said support; electrodes in said letter; a pair of oppositely disposed clip members mounted in aligned spaces formed between said plates; conductors extending from said electrodes between said plates to said clips for connecting said electrodes and said clips into an electric circuit; and a busbar mounted between said plates in spaced relation with said clips, for carrying a return circuit across said plate.

7. For use in a sign of the class described, a character unit embodying: a supporting plate; a conducting pin mounted on said supporting plate; an insulating packing sleeve mounted on said pin; an elbow sleeve having one end mounted on said insulating packing sleeve; a tubular gas filled character having a closed electrode end pbrtion in the other end of said tube; and a conductor connecting said electrode with said conducting pin.

8.\For use in a sign of the class described, a character unit embodying: a supporting plate; a conducting pin mounted on said supporting plate; an insulating packing sleeve mounted on said pin; an'elbow sleeve having one end mounted on said insulating packing sleeve and having a packing ring provided in its other end a tubular gas filled character having an electrode end portionI slidably mounted in said packing ring; an electrode in the electrode end of said character; and a conductor connecting said electrode with said conducting pin.

9. For use'in a sign of the class described, a character unit embodying: a supporting plate; a conducting pin mounted on said supporting plate; a packing sleeve mounted on said conducting pin; an elbow sleeve having one end mounted on said packing sleeve; a sealed electrode in said elbow sleeve; a conductor connecting said electrode with said conducting pin; and a tubular gas filled character secured to the unsealed portion of the elbow sleeve containing said electrode.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 9th day of December, 1931.

CHARLES M. H. NELSON.

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